Locking pin clip

ABSTRACT

THIS INVENTION PROVIDES SECURE FASTENING MEANS FOR A PEN OR PENCIL IN A GARMENT POCKET, TO PREVENT LOSS OF THE ARTICLE SUCH AS OCCURS WHEN A CONVENTIONAL TYPE CLIP FAILS.

Sept. 21,1971 F. s. LINCOLN 3,605,547

LOCKING PIN CLIP Fiizled Aug. 21, 1969 INVENTOR. 25 FAY s. LINCOLN BY g United States Patent 01 iice 3,606,647 LOCKING PIN CLIP Fay S. Lincoln, RD. 1, Centre Hall, Pa. 16828 Filed Aug. 21, 1969, Ser. No. 852,051

Int. Cl. B43k 25/00 US. Cl. 24-11M 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE It is the purpose of the present invention to provide locking means for a clip, to hold a writing instrument such as a pen or pencil securely in a garment pocket and prevent accidental dislodgement and loss of the instrument.

With the above and other objects in view, this invention consists of the novel features, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all views, and in which-- FIG. 1 shows a clip attached to a pen or pencil, having the gripping portion of said clip at one end thereof and, at the opposite end, a nub to provide concentrated compression of the clip upon a sheet of material, as of the pocket of a garment;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the clip taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing the locking pin means of the present invention in retracted position;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section similar to that of FIG. 2 except that the locking pin has been depressed so that it projects from the clip housing for engagement with the fabric of the pocket wall;

FIG. 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 2, showing the looped end of the locking pin means disposed within the clip housing;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the clip housing, showing the opening therein for'emergence of the pin means to engage with the fabric of the pocket wall; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-section taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the structure of FIG. 1 shows a clip 10 aflixed upon a pen 11, said clip having a housing 12 terminating in nub 12A at the end thereof, and said nub 12A being curved on the underside 13 to provide concentrated compression by the spring action of the clip upon the body of the pen.

In FIG. 2, pin 14 is shown within the clip housing 12, and point 15 of said pin is adjacent the opening 16 in said housing, while tongue 17, being an extension of and integral with sleeve 18, is positioned adjacent the top curve of pin 14.

FIG. 3 shows pin 14 depressed by tongue 17, so that point 15 emerges through opening 16 and passes into and through the fabric 19 of a pocket wall. The action of tongue 17 is achieved by pulling sleeve 18 back toward the gripping end of the clip, using lip 20 to facilitate the sliding movement of sleeve 18 along the body 21 of the clip. A depression 22 in the pin serves to retain the tip of tongue 17, thus locking the point 15- of said pin in its 3,606,647 Patented Sept. 21, 1971 engaged position through the fabric and in substantial contiguity with the body of the pen or pencil.

Retraction of the pin is accomplished by pushing lip 20 forward, toward the nub 12A, to release tongue 17 from depression 22 and permit the spring action of the pin 14 to effect the withdrawal of point 15 from the fabric and back into the housing 12.

FIG. 4 shows, in cross-section, the wire of pin 14 centrally positioned within the housing 12 of the clip, and sleeve 1'8 fitted over and partially surrounding the clip body 21 along its exterior surface, said sleeve being retained over said body by flanges 22, 23.

In FIG. 5, the looped end of the pin wire 14 is shown disposed within the clip housing 12, and sleeve 18 mounted upon clip body in such manner as to permit tongue 17 to; travel along slot 24 in said clip body.

In FIG. 6, opening 25 in clip housing 12 permits emergence of point 15 of pin 14 to pass into and through the fabric of the pocket wall.

FIG. 7, being a cross-section of the housing at the point where the loop end of pin 14 is disposed, shows pin 14 positioned within clip housing 12. and retained therein by flanges 25, 25.

To lock the pin and hold the writing instrument securely in a pocket, the nub 12A is caused to pass over the fabric on the one side, while the writing instrument is placed on the other side, in the same manner of a conventional pencil clip. Sleeve 18 is then pulled back toward the head of the clip, causing the pin wire to be forced out of the opening in the housing and into and through the fabric of the pocket wall, to achieve contact or contiguity with the wall of the pen. The pen is thus securely retained in the pocket until it is desired to remove it therefrom, at which time the sleeve is pushed forward toward the nub of the clip housing, releasing the pressure of the tongue upon the pin Wire and permitting the latter to retract from the fabric and into the recess of the clip housing. The compression of the nub upon the pocket wall may be readily overcome by pulling or withdrawing the pen out of the pocket as with conventional clip devices used on pens and pencils.

While the structure herein described and shown in the drawings is the preferred form, the locking may also be effected by exerting pressure upon the locking pin by means of a log positioned inside the housing and coacting with the pin to depress the latter. There are numerous variations in the respective positions of the parts, and many such changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention, and wish to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A clip device for securing a writing instrument against accidental dislodgement from a garment pocket comprising, a pin means adjustable by compression ap plied thereon to force the point of said pin means through the fabric of such pocket, and locking means for retaining said pin means in such locked position, wherein said clip device comprises an elongated member integrally attached to the pen gripping portion of said clip, said elongated member terminating in a nub having an opening upon the inner surface thereof and a housing within said nub to accommodate said pin means when the same becomes retracted upon release of compression thereon.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said pin means may be forced into engagement with the fabric of a garment pocket by the pressure of a member adjacent said housing and forming a part of the assembly thereof, said member being slidably movable by pressure applied upon the opposite end thereof to depress said pin means.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein said pin means may be locked securely in position by the interaction of the leading end of said slidable member upon a curve provided at a point adjacent the puncturing portion of said pin means.

4. The invention of claim 3, wherein said locking means may be released by the retraction of said slidable mem- 4 her, to free said fabric from contact with the point of said pin means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner 

